Business Details
22 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Compassionate Veterinary Care in Whitecourt
Hilltop Veterinary Clinic has been serving Whitecourt, Alberta and surrounding areas since 2004, providing comprehensive veterinary care for small and large animals. Our team of licensed veterinarians prioritizes client education, preventative care, and emergency services while staying at the forefront of veterinary technology. With over two decades of combined experience, we maintain a commitment to compassionate care for pets, livestock, and exotic animals.Our services include small animal medicine, equine care, bovine herd health, advanced diagnostics, and 24-hour emergency support through our Mayerthorpe facility. We emphasize the human-animal bond and offer resources for optimal pet and livestock health throughout all life stages.
Services
Vaccinations
Spays and Neuters
Dentistry
Laser Therapy
Pregnancy Testing
Emergency Care
Radiography
Herd Health
Exotic Pet Care
Ultrasound
Details
- Year established: 2004
Highlights and features
- 24-hour emergency services through Mayerthorpe clinic
- Experienced team with over 20 years combined veterinary expertise
- Full-service diagnostics including digital radiography and ultrasound
- Specialized care for 10+ animal species including exotics
- Comprehensive herd health programs for livestock producers
What people say
Exceptional emergency care
Knowledgeable staff
Gentle with animals
Comprehensive services
Responsive team
Services
Small Animal Surgery
Our clinic provides soft tissue and orthopedic surgical procedures for cats, dogs, and exotic pets. Services include spays/neuters, fracture repairs, and dental surgeries using modern anesthetic monitoring. Our surgical suite maintains strict sterility standards while our veterinarians employ minimally invasive techniques when possible. Post-operative care includes pain management and recovery monitoring to ensure optimal healing outcomes for companion animals.
Equine Care
We offer comprehensive equine healthcare including dental floats, lameness evaluations, and reproductive services. Our Mayerthorpe facility provides digital radiography and ultrasound for diagnostic imaging. Emergency services cover colic treatment, laceration repair, and obstetric care. Regular wellness programs include vaccination protocols, deworming strategies, and Coggins testing for horse owners in northern Alberta.
Bovine Herd Health
Our ambulatory services support cow-calf producers with herd health management, vaccination programs, and reproductive evaluations. We offer on-farm semen testing, pregnancy diagnosis via ultrasound, and EU certification testing. Emergency care includes treatment for bloat, foot rot, and dystocia. Our Mayerthorpe clinic provides surgical interventions like cesarean sections and cancer eye removal for cattle operations.
Diagnostic Imaging
Advanced diagnostic capabilities include digital radiography, ultrasonography, and in-house blood analysis. We perform same-day bloodwork analysis for 30+ species and utilize urine analyzers for rapid diagnosis. Our imaging equipment supports fracture detection, pregnancy confirmation, and internal organ evaluation. Referral partnerships enable advanced diagnostics for complex cases requiring specialized interpretation.
Exotic Pet Care
We treat small mammals, reptiles, and birds with specialized knowledge in their unique healthcare needs. Services include wellness exams, surgical procedures for pocket pets, and reptile husbandry consultations. Our veterinarians manage nutritional diseases in exotic species and provide emergency care for injured wildlife. Referrals are available for specialized avian care requiring advanced diagnostics or behavioral treatment.
People
Dr. Janelle Gauthier
Veterinarian
Dr. Gauthier co-owns Hilltop Veterinary Clinic and specializes in mixed animal practice. With extensive experience in bovine reproduction and small animal surgery, she maintains active involvement in continuing education to advance clinical skills across multiple species.
Dr. Claire Ainsworth
Veterinarian
As co-owner and practicing veterinarian, Dr. Ainsworth focuses on equine medicine and herd health management. She brings decades of experience in rural veterinary practice and maintains strong relationships with local livestock producers through comprehensive preventive care programs.
Dr. Sarah Wahlert
Veterinarian
Dr. Wahlert has been with the practice since 2013, concentrating on small animal medicine and exotic pet care. Her expertise includes advanced diagnostic techniques and developing tailored treatment plans for companion animals and unusual species.
Dr. Emma Kahanyshyn
Veterinarian
Dr. Kahanyshyn provides full-service veterinary care for both companion and production animals. She contributes to the clinic's emergency response team and specializes in urgent care situations requiring immediate medical or surgical intervention.
Questions
What animal species do you treat?
We treat dogs, cats, horses, cattle, small ruminants, camelids, exotic pets, and occasional wildlife cases.
Do you offer after-hours emergency services?
Yes, we provide 24-hour emergency care through our Mayerthorpe clinic with on-call veterinarians available.
What diagnostic capabilities do you have?
Our clinic offers digital radiography, ultrasound, in-house blood analysis, and urinalysis for multiple species.
Are appointments required for emergency visits?
Yes, please call first before arriving to ensure proper triage and staff availability for urgent cases.
Do you serve agricultural producers?
Yes, we provide herd health management, reproductive services, and EU certification testing for livestock operations.
Reviews (4)
Zane Clarke
Oct 11, 2021
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Excellent, caring staff that are extremely knowledgeable about the animals that they take care of and provide care for. Very happy with the service!
Exandra White
Aug 02, 2021
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Took my dog and cat here to get fixed and have nothing but great things to say about them! My dogs a farm dog and nervous inside and they handled him with no issue! Won't go to any other vet in whitecourt now!
Dale Denis
Aug 01, 2021
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Had to stop and pick up some dog food, while we were on a roadtrip. Great small town service and friendliness.
River K.
Feb 03, 2021
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Been taking my pets here for years! Always kind and knowledgeable. Best place around without a doubt.
